During harsh El Niño years, marine iguana populations are threatened by starvation. The warming temperatures of the water causes the proliferation of an invasive brown algae species that the marine iguana can't digest. However, to increase their likelihood of survival, these incredibly adaptable animals are capable of shrinking their body size up to 25%!

This unusual iguana is a hybrid between a terrestrial and a marine iguana. They are extremely rare in the Galapagos as both species almost never get in contact. There is only a handful specimens and this one was found feeding on the placenta of a newborn sea lion! I was surprise considering both original species are vegetarian.